Galamsey fraud: I lied about Anas and Kweku Baako – Suspended NPP Vice-Chairman begs

Ekow Ewusi admitted before an Accra High Court that he lied about the two gentlemen.

He said he does not have any evidence to back the lies, neither can he afford the GH¢25 million the plaintiff was demanded as damages and pleaded for an out of court settlement.

The suspended NPP Vice-Chairman in an apology letter said: "On the 1st day of March 2019, I caused to be published and made several statements on Adom TV's, 'Adom Badwam' program hosted by Omanhene Kwabena Asante against Mr. Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr which are defamatory.

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"That in discussing issues surrounding illegal mining, I uttered words to the effect that Mr. Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr and Anas Aremeyaw Anas together with Aleska C & G and Heritage mining were involved in 'galamsey' activities destroying Ghana’s forest.

"I further stated that Mr. Kweku Baako came to plead on behalf of Aleska C & G and Heritage Mining to Professor Frimpong Boateng and attempted to bribe Charles Bissiw and Professor Frimpong Boateng on two occasions first with two hundred thousand dollars and later upped it to two million dollars.

"The said allegations are false and the same should not have been made on the program. In this regard, the comments made are incorrect is most regrettable.

"I, Horace Ekow Ewusi, do hereby apologize and unconditionally and unreservedly retract the allegations and comments made against Mr. Abdul Malik Kweku Baako and his associates during the discussions on the aforementioned television program.

"I finally, undertake not to further publish or reproduce the said allegations."

Galamsey fraud exposé

Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye Pi team investigated the works of galamsey activities in the country after Nana Addo launched 'Operation Vanguard', a military-police joint task force to combat the menace.

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The investigations caught a presidential staffer and Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Cromwell Bissue in the exposé.

Bissue in the video emerged as a facilitator for a company seeking to circumvent laid down processes to be given clearance for its mining operations.